We can do exercises, including breathing, not only in different outside forms, but also with various «filling», which we’ll call a «set-up» and correlate it with chakral system. For instance breathing with Muladhara set-up (Muladhara breathing) is a deep, heavy and dry breath. Besides inhaling, we stretch out respiratory muscles to the full.
If we make a graph of breathing, it would look like this.
Graphs of breathing
Svadhishthana breathing is sinusoid: inhalation smoothly slips into exhalation and again to inhalation, so the speed of breathing changes. Respiratory muscles are not strongly involved — in Svadhishthana set-up you are not disposed to force yourself. Svadhishthana breathing is moist, warm, sometimes a little languid.
Manipura breathing is «angular», stiff dry and hot, like the runner’s breath.
Anahata breathing has a more complicated structure, closer to a compact sinusoid. Such breath is warm and light.
«Svarodaya Shastra» recommends another way of defining the type of breathing. You must close your passive nostril (see description of respiratory techniques), put a mirror to your nose and make several breathings. A figure formed by the condensate tells the type of your breathing: a square — for Muladhara, a half moon — for Svadhishthana, a triangle — for Manipura, a polygon — for Anahata, a round — for Vishuddha. It’s quite exotic, but my observations proved, this method works.
Mastering the rhythmic breathing is better to start with the Muladhara set-up, because it helps to activate all respiratory muscles and to develop those of them that the person usually doesn’t use. Besides this type of breathing strongly energizes our physical body.
Later you can breathe with different set-ups to activate and develop your chakras.
During natural human’s bio cycle, which has a duration from 60 to 90 minutes, our breath passes all set-ups, from Muladhara to Ajna. It’s the natural mechanism of chakra nutrition by prana of the air. Don’t forget that this rhythm is related to the activation of one of our nostrils, corresponding to Ida or Pingala. This information can be used for selfish and unselfish ends. For example, when a person is breathing with Svadhishthana, you can make up to him at Svadhishthana, when he breathes with Anahata, use Anahata for the contact, and so on. Applying this knowledge to our personal training we should note that the most efficient way to work is to use your naturally activated chakra.